Asking the Breeze

by Siadea

Summary:

Seraphiel, Angel of the Inquisition, is tricked into going on a blind date with a Malakite of the Wind. Who knew Elohim made such good matchmakers?

Notes:

Warning that this gets as spicy as an explicit romance novel, and the Seraph is in his true form! For those of you joining us from a different fandom, that's a six-eyed snake with feathered wings having sex with a more humanoid angel. It gets a little metaphysical but I also use the word ‘cock.’ So.

Chapter 1

Seraphiel found the note on Judgment notebook paper when he got to his personal quarters. Those were locked, of course, so there was no real need for the signature.

‘Come to the leftmost eddy south of the eastern wall cloud at 6 pm sharp. Ellora.’

Seraphiel eyed the time. The Elohite knew his schedule almost as well as he did, albeit through her efforts to get him to change it. He had thirty minutes to get to the enormous storm that ‘housed’ the Servitors of the Wind: just enough time. She'd done him the courtesy of assuming he knew how to navigate the uncertain cloud formations that made up the storm, rather than using markers on the ground, but he wasn't frequently called to the Wind’s cathedral and wanted to have extra time in case he got turned around.

The only way to find out what was going on was to go, so Seraphiel went. On the way, he discouraged three would-be pickpockets, told another that he was not such a fool as to bring anything but a blank notebook to the Wind’s own cathedral, and got there with ten minutes to spare.

He floated, wings outstretched, for five minutes past the projected time when an eighteen-Force Malakite dropped into the cloud-walled chamber from above. Seraphiel didn't flinch; ‘up’ and ‘down’ and ‘walls’ were all arbitrary things in the storm clouds.

The Malakite grinned at Seraphiel as though he'd found a diamond necklace in a Balseraph’s pocket. “Oh shit, she does know me,” he said, clearly delighted.

The Truth was that the ‘she’ in question was Ellora (that was obvious) and that Seraphiel was ideally suited for some purpose.

“Who are you?” Seraphiel asked immediately. He was not inclined to be dragged into Windie shenanigans, even an Elohite's, without at least knowing who the participants were.

“I'm Ruachiel, Master of Motion,” the Malakite said, sweeping an extravagant bow midair. “Such a pleasure to meet you!”

“I am Seraphiel, Angel of the Inquisition,” Seraphiel returned. “Why is it optimal that we meet?”

The Malakite hadn't stopped grinning. “Come find me and find out!” Ruachiel dove through the ‘floor’ of the chamber, powerful wings working hard.

Seraphiel sighed. It was not how he'd expected to spend his free time, but unfortunately he trusted Ellora to ensure that it would be optimal in some way. He dove after Ruachiel, down to the ground of the Groves.

Once there, he questioned several Servitors of War as to which way they'd seen the Windie go. Some were more helpful than others, but Seraphiel wrung the information out of them anyway.

Thus began a strange chase across Heaven. Some angels he questioned, but after a while people began flagging Seraphiel down with notes containing coordinates and sometimes little exhortations to look at the sunset or similar sights.

Seraphiel began to suspect that Ellora had engaged an acquaintance to help “change his routine.” But eventually he caught up to Ruachiel in the middle of Coffee Central, where the Malakite was paying (actually paying, interestingly) for a pastry.

Ruachiel very obviously let Seraphiel catch up to him, sitting at an outdoor table. “Ellora told me you don't care for food, or I'd've bought you a coffee,” he said, as though they had been in the middle of a conversation.

“Ellora is correct,” Seraphiel said, sitting across from him. “I don't enjoy food. Why would you consider acquiring coffee for me?”

The Malakite looked amused. “We're on a date. Did she not tell you?”

A date. A romantic date. The last time Seraphiel had seen anyone romantically had been before he was Wordbound. “She did not,” he said, very flatly.

“Elohim, am I right?” Ruachiel said, good-naturedly. “I guess she thought you wouldn't come if you knew.”

“I am not interested in romance at this time,” Seraphiel said.

Ruachiel took a bite of pastry. “Why not?”

“My Word does not encourage romantic prospects,” Seraphiel answered, very carefully. It was true, of course, but he was glad that Ruachiel was not another Seraph, to hear the unspoken. It was a painful subject.

“I can see how some people would find it offputting,” Ruachiel said thoughtfully. “I don't, though!”

Seraphiel blinked all six eyes at once. “You find it attractive?” he asked, incredulous despite the Truth he'd heard.

“I have a type,” the Malakite admitted cheerfully.

Seraphiel was speechless. The Truth was that Ruachiel did have ‘a type’ - stern and righteous, dominating, relentless, often rough in bed. The Truth was very explicit.

Ruachiel laughed, not unkindly. “Oh, you got some good Truths out of that, didn't you?”

It wasn't the first time Seraphiel had gotten sexually explicit Truths, nor would it be the last. It wasn't even the first time he'd gotten explicit Truths about himself. It had, however, been a very long time since he'd welcomed any type of advance. He was surprised to find that he was welcoming these particular advances.

“Tell me about yourself,” Seraphiel said instead.

Ruachiel obliged, unphased by the power of Seraphiel's resonance on his answers. He was of an age with Seraphiel, one of the first relievers to fledge Malakite after the Fall. Seraphiel found himself admitting that he himself had almost fledged Malakite.

“You'd have had to change your name, though,” Ruachiel teased. “And ‘Malakitiel’ isn’t half as pretty.”

Seraphiel didn't cast his eyes to the Higher Heavens, but he came close. “That was not actually a consideration for me.”

Ruachiel didn’t seem bothered by Seraphiel’s lack of approachability, or his abrupt questions, or even the aura of his Word. He teased, he complimented, he flirted. At no point in his life had Seraphiel ever known how to flirt or tease, or even how to respond positively to such things. Ruachiel made it seem easy, and Seraphiel found himself… looking. Not furtively, nothing in Seraphiel was furtive, but - quickly, consideringly.

Ruachiel was short but broad, muscular the way Malakim tended to be, fully at ease with himself in ways Seraphiel knew he himself was not. In many ways, he was an exemplary angel of the Wind - he enjoyed explosions and chaos and killing demons indiscriminately. But he was very clearly and honestly interested in Seraphiel, and angels of the Wind were seldom fond of Judgment. It was a dichotomy that Seraphiel found… interesting. Even intriguing. A willing puzzle that he could interrogate over and over again.

They talked for hours, about their lives and duties and things they had seen and done. Ruachiel’s pastry was long gone, and eventually, as a concession to the busy tables of Coffee Central, they wandered through the evening crowds of the Bazaar, still talking. Ruachiel’s sturdy fingers brushed the leading edge of Seraphiel’s wing from time to time. It was electrifying, but Seraphiel didn’t know how to respond without seeming ridiculous, so he said nothing.

“You haven’t even attempted to steal anything; why?” Seraphiel asked at one point, when he couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Oh, there’s nothing wrong with a good chase through the Bazaar, it keeps the Traders on their toes, but I didn’t think you’d enjoy that for a first date,” Ruachiel said easily. He slid two fingers down the back of Seraphiel’s wing as he spoke, and Seraphiel thrilled to the touch.

“That is true,” Seraphiel said, after a moment to master himself. “I appreciate your restraint in the matter.”

Ruachiel grinned. “Restraints are definitely third date material,” he said cheerily, and the Truth of that suggestion silenced Seraphiel for a good thirty seconds. He knew better than to think an angel of the Wind would be the one in restraints. He’d never contemplated… but it wasn’t a displeasing idea.

As the sun disappeared fully and they reached the edge of the Bazaar, Ruachiel turned to him, smiling, and said, “So, a fairly successful first date?”

“Yes,” Seraphiel said, unhesitating. It had been.

“May I steal a kiss?”

Seraphiel tipped his head to the side, considering his options. It was fast, yes, but the Wind was fast in nature, and he wanted. More importantly than that, he felt safe to want, and that was much rarer. “Not here in the middle of Heaven,” he said, very properly. Then he added, “Perhaps you might like to come to my rooms, though?”

Ruachiel’s smile grew broader. “Lead the way, lovely.”

Unlike their meandering path through the Bazaar, Seraphiel took the most direct route possible back to the Tribunal. There were plentiful balconies in the residential areas, enough to bypass the main entrance of the Tribunal, and Seraphiel took them through the most accessible of those. The Judges who lived near Seraphiel were accustomed to Ellora dropping by, so they only looked askance at Seraphiel and another Servitor of the Wind. Dinhabah, a Mercurian, raised her eyebrows at the pair, and Seraphiel gave her a flat look in response. Ruachiel gave her a cheerful wave and a smile.

They reached Seraphiel’s neatly-labeled door, but Seraphiel found he did not want to wait until they were inside to receive his kiss. He was not ashamed, or hiding his would-be partner. So he raised himself up, sliding close enough to wrap a wing around the Malakite. “We are no longer in the middle of Heaven,” he told him.

Ruachiel laughed, captured his head in both hands, and kissed him thoroughly. It was technically Seraphiel’s first kiss; he’d only dallied with other Seraphim before, and it was nigh-impossible for two Seraphim to kiss each other in their true forms. Seraphiel decided at once that he liked it; it was warm, and wet, and suggestive of other activities they might partake in. Ruachiel broke the kiss, and then laid three more kisses on Seraphiel’s face, one between each pair of eyes. Seraphiel regretted having to look away in order to unlock the door.

They came into Seraphiel’s rooms in a tangle, one of Ruachiel’s hands in Seraphiel’s feathers, stroking them into order, and the other around his back, holding him close. The Malakite shut the door with a swipe of his foot, not even looking away from him.

“Good?” Seraphiel rasped, sliding his tailtip up the back of Ruachiel’s calf.

“Oh yes,” Ruachiel purred. “Not too fast for you, lovely?”

“Not at all.” Seraphiel hitched a coil upward, half-winding around the Malakite’s hip. Ruachiel slid his warm, sturdy hand along Seraphiel’s spine until he reached that coil, hoisting Seraphiel upward. Seraphiel had to put one wing out for balance, but was very satisfied to rest part of his weight on Ruachiel’s arm.

The Malakite gripped him by one horn, pulling his head down for another kiss. Seraphiel flicked his tongue out to Ruachiel’s lips and tongue, tasting mostly sweetness from the pastry, but he found he didn’t mind it. He tugged at Ruachiel’s grip, experimentally, and managed to move enough to slide his narrow, forked tongue over one of the Malakite’s ears.

Ruachiel cursed, tipping his head to the side and holding Seraphiel in place. “Damn, that’s good. You’re so good at this, Seraphiel.”

“I’ve never been with a human-formed angel before,” Seraphiel admitted into Ruachiel’s ear, teasing at an earlobe. “Only other Seraphim, and that was some time ago. You may have to guide me.”

“You are doing fantastic,” Ruachiel groaned. Seraphiel practically thrummed with pleasure; the Truth was that Ruachiel really was strongly affected by his efforts.

Together, Ruachiel half-carrying Seraphiel, they made it to Seraphiel’s desk chair, which thankfully did not move too much under their combined weight. Seraphiel made himself comfortable coiling into Ruachiel’s lap, winding his tail around the Malakite’s upper thigh.

“How far do you want to go tonight, pretty?” Ruachiel asked breathlessly.

“I would like to continue until we're both fully satisfied,” Seraphiel told him, sliding his tail up Ruachiel's inner thigh. “Are those terms acceptable?”

“Oh yes.” Ruachiel slid his palm over Seraphiel’s belly scales, over his chest, and up to his throat, to the delicate scales under his chin. Then he pinched, lightly, and Seraphiel shivered. “Good?”

“Good,” Seraphiel confirmed.

“We can be gentle if you like, or a little rougher,” Ruachiel promised, and the Truths he was suggesting made Seraphiel squeeze, inside and out. “Oh, you like that idea?”

“We’ll tip the chair,” Seraphiel warned him, but Ruachiel just took him by the horns and tilted his head up, biting the softer scales under his chin. Seraphiel went limp for a delicious moment before he gathered himself, undulating in the Malakite’s lap and sliding himself down. “I don’t have a bed, but there’s the floor,” he offered.

Ruachiel let go of his horns with a sound of amusement. “I can get you a bed if you want one, lovely,” he promised, and Seraphiel gave him a narrow-eyed look, slithering down Ruachiel’s legs to the floor.

“Nothing you swiped from Hell. I have standards,” he warned.

“Seraphiel! Please,” Ruachiel protested, sliding out of the chair to land with one knee on each side of Seraphiel’s body. He pushed the chair away from them with a dark wing, and leaned down just as Seraphiel arched up for another kiss. “That’s - what - explosives - are - for,” he said, punctuating each word with a kiss or soft bite down Seraphiel’s throat.

“Good,” Seraphiel managed. He coiled up underneath Ruachiel, slipping his tail under the back of Ruachiel’s shirt and Oath-chains, finding his way to the feathers at the base of the Malakite’s wings.

Ruachiel licked at a spot above Seraphiel’s chest, holding him down with one hand. “I like having my feathers pulled on,” he said conversationally. The Truth of that was such a vivid mental image that Seraphiel found himself winding his tail around a bunch of Ruachiel’s tertial feathers and pulling hard before he even thought about it.

The Malakite gasped very satisfyingly, squeezing Seraphiel between his thighs and grinding down. “Yes, just like that,” he encouraged, flexing his wings upward. Seraphiel tugged the same bunch of feathers again, more lightly so that he didn’t actually pull any out, and Ruachiel actually whimpered. “Tease,” he accused.

“I,” said Seraphiel with as much dignity as he could muster, flat on his back on the floor, “am being careful with you, Ruachiel.”

“You don’t have to be,” Ruachiel promised, and the Truth of it made tears spring to Seraphiel’s eyes. He was always careful, ever since his Word had turned against him.

“Sweetheart?” the Malakite asked, concerned, and brushed a thumb over Seraphiel’s brow ridges. “You good?”

“I’m always careful,” Seraphiel said hoarsely. “Not to be cruel, or too rough. My Word… doesn’t encourage kindness.”

Ruachiel gathered him up into a hug. “You won’t hurt me by being a little rough. I like it,” he said. “If you do go too far, I’ll tell you. And you’ll stop, because of who you are. Not the Word, you.”

Seraphiel buried his face in Ruachiel’s neck, stretching his wings up and around him. The Malakite stroked up and down his back, comforting, and they stayed like that for long moments. “Thank you,” Seraphiel said at last. “I didn’t intend to… change the mood.”

“It’s fine,” Ruachiel said easily. “Mood changes are fine, and I can tell this is a big deal for you.”

“That is true,” Seraphiel admitted. “You have more faith in me than I do myself.”

Ruachiel kissed him softly. “Let’s build some faith in you, then. You deserve it.”

Seraphiel shivered at the Truth of that. He did deserve it. Ruachiel believed it wholeheartedly. He flicked his tongue over the Malakite’s mouth, and rubbed his cheek firmly against Ruachiel’s face, unable to embrace him any more than he already was.

“So pretty,” Ruachiel murmured. “I could tell you truths all night long, beautiful.” One hand slid up the back of Seraphiel’s neck to scratch gently around his horns, while the other arm held him close. Seraphiel arched his neck and half-wrapped a coil around Ruachiel’s hip, stroking through the Malakite’s black feathers with his tail.

“Take off your shirt?” Seraphiel suggested. “I want to feel your skin.”

“Good thought, lovely. I’m so fortunate; you’re not wearing a stitch,” Ruachiel remarked, letting go of Seraphiel enough to strip out of his shirt and toss it to the side. Seraphiel watched the flex of his arms with appreciation. He wanted to taste Ruachiel’s skin, so he ducked his head, flicking his tongue down the Malakite’s neck and down to his chest.

“You can bite,” Ruachiel promised, but Seraphiel only hummed, lightly scratching past a nipple with his fangs. The Malakite’s skin was salty with sweat under his tongue, and the muscles of his chest jumped when Seraphiel’s fangs brushed against him. “Tease,” Ruachiel said again.

Seraphiel tipped his head to look upward at Ruachiel, amused. “Truth.”

Ruachiel laughed breathlessly as Seraphiel made his way leisurely down his abdomen, tasting delicately as he went, rubbing the sides of his face over particularly delectable muscles. All too soon, he found his way to the Malakite’s waistband. It wasn’t difficult to tell that Ruachiel was hard, and Seraphiel nosed against the bulge there, unwilling to taste mere fabric.

Ruachiel hissed, one hand going to cup the back of Seraphiel’s head, the other bracing himself as he leaned back. “See anything you like, pretty?”

“I haven’t seen it yet,” Seraphiel corrected, lifting his head. “I would very much like to, though.”

“Far be it from me to deny you,” Ruachiel declared, and began to struggle out of his pants. Seraphiel deigned to let go of the Malakite’s feathers and assist him until they were both equally naked, Ruachiel sitting on the floor beside him.

Seraphiel hummed in pleasure, winding a coil around Ruachiel’s thigh and looking his fill. “I like how you look,” he told him. “I like it very much.”

“Thank you, beautiful. I like how you look, too,” Ruachiel replied, stroking the coil that wrapped over his thigh. Seraphiel, encouraged, wound his way back between Ruachiel’s thighs as the Malakite shifted around to help them both reposition themselves. His skin was warm to Seraphiel’s scales, and Seraphiel pushed as much of his coils between Ruachiel’s legs as he could. It was very different to do so with Ruachiel naked than clothed, and he couldn’t help but rub himself against a muscular thigh, presenting his belly scales and the intimate, usually-hidden slit in them.

Ruachiel stroked everywhere but where Seraphiel wanted him to, and Seraphiel writhed.

“Do you want to give, receive, or neither?” the Malakite asked.

Seraphiel shuddered all over. “I want to receive,” he said, and, boldly, “Pin me open on you.” Anything could be used to give, of course, from fingers to genitals, but Seraphiel wanted Ruachiel’s cock inside him, and wanted it fiercely.

Ruachiel smiled at him and began to tease at Seraphiel’s slit with his fingertips, working Seraphiel open carefully. His fingers were thick and hot, and Seraphiel was wet and yielding, but it was good that they were going slowly, because it had been some time since Seraphiel had done this. He writhed up around Ruachiel with a moan, and Ruachiel pinned him down with his free hand.

“So pretty,” the Malakite crooned. “You feel so good around my fingers. So wet for me. Do you want my cock, or is this enough for you?”

Seraphiel was almost dizzied by the Truths Ruachiel was telling him, but he knew what he wanted. “I want your cock, Ruachiel,” he said - no, demanded. But he whined in protest as Ruachiel drew his fingers out instead, rolling his whole body up to chase Ruachiel’s hand.

Ruachiel licked Seraphiel’s wetness from his fingers, and Seraphiel shuddered at the sight, his own tongue darting out of his mouth in envy. Ruachiel kissed him again, and Seraphiel could taste himself on the Malakite’s mouth.

“Come and take me, then, sweetheart,” Ruachiel encouraged, and carefully turned them over so that he was on his back with Seraphiel balanced above him, still between his thighs. Seraphiel slid downwards, smearing his wetness down Ruachiel’s stomach until he nudged the Malakite’s stiff cock. He squirmed there, teasing both of them, until he got the right angle to push the head of Ruachiel’s cock inside himself.

“You feel so good,” Seraphiel told him, and it was blindingly True. Ruachiel’s cock was hotter and thicker than his fingers had been, stretching him open in the most satisfying ways.

“So good, beautiful,” Ruachiel groaned, grasping Seraphiel’s wings tightly in both hands and arching under him. He was desperately trying not to pull Seraphiel down onto his cock, which he clearly wanted to do. The effort it took to restrain himself was devastatingly arousing. “Take me, lovely, you can do it…”

“Mm, I want to,” Seraphiel hummed, and flexed himself open, easing downward slowly. The hot slide of Ruachiel inside him made his very Forces soften and yield, and Ruachiel jolted beneath him, fingers tightening on his wings.

“You’re so good, Seraphiel. God above, you feel amazing, let me in,” Ruachiel begged, rolling his hips up helplessly. Seraphiel held himself in place just to feel Ruachiel’s Forces slide up and into him in a long, slow glide. They moved, balancing just so, and Seraphiel buried his head against Ruachiel’s neck as they became closer and closer, sliding out and then back together, deeper and faster each time.

Sex in Celestial form wasn’t just about heat and friction and fluids - it was a connection of souls. Questions and justice and truth met change and honor and it was a holy thing. If they could be said to have a climax, it was when they forgot, for just moments, that they were two separate beings.

Seraphiel came back to himself gasping, Ruachiel still buried inside him. He wanted to move, he wanted to fly, he wanted to stay exactly where he was forever.

“Gorgeous, Seraphiel,” Ruachiel groaned. He rolled his hips, his softening cock still bringing aftershocks of pleasure to them both. Seraphiel was reluctant to let him go, but could not resist the urge to move, writhing on top and around the Malakite restlessly and stretching his wings.

“You’re good, lovely?” Ruachiel asked, though he didn’t need to.

“I am better than I have been in years,” Seraphiel told him, flexing slow and luxurious. It was, of course, perfect truth.

“I want to lick you,” Ruachiel told him, and flipped them over again, so that he was overtop Seraphiel. Seraphiel didn’t resist, though he arched up against Ruachiel’s descending mouth. The Malakite was as good as his word, licking through the wetness they had left smeared on each other and gently pushing his tongue into Seraphiel’s folds to chase their combined fluids. That led to Seraphiel twisting flexibly to wrap his own flickering tongue and tail around Ruachiel’s cock, and that, of course, led to their coming together once more.

Afterward, Ruachiel laughed a little. “I’d meant to get you cleaner, but I think that backfired,” he said, wiping at the come on Seraphiel’s face with his thumbs and fingertips.

“You would have done better to ask if I had a bathtub,” Seraphiel said, amused, closing his eyes to the delicate touches.

“Do you?”

“I do, as it happens.”

“Excellent, sweetheart. I could make off with one for you, but it’d be bulky,” Ruachiel said, slowly climbing off of Seraphiel and offering him a hand up. Seraphiel didn’t need any such thing, of course, but accepted the courtesy just for the contact.

“But you’re planning on stealing an entire bed?” Seraphiel asked as they made their way to his bathing chamber.

“You don’t know I’m going to steal it,” Ruachiel sniffed. “I might buy one. I do buy things sometimes.”

“Are you going to buy it, though?” Seraphiel asked, turning on the hot water.

“I might!”

“I’ll have to return it if you do steal it from someone,” Seraphiel warned him as the tub filled. Ruachiel kissed him on the nose.

“We could try a variety that way,” the Malakite suggested. “Waterbeds, four-posters… The possibilities are almost endless!”

Seraphiel nipped at his ear, lightning-fast. “I am not having sex with you on stolen furniture. And it would be ridiculous to have sex on the floor right next to a bed.”

Ruachiel laughed, testing the water with one hand and petting Seraphiel’s wing with the other. “Stubborn! I like that, though. How does this water feel to you?”

Seraphiel tested the water with his tail, found it warm enough, and shut off the faucet. “It’s acceptable. Do you believe we could both fit in the tub at once?”

“One way to find out,” Ruachiel told him. “You first or me?”

Seraphiel considered the logistics of this. “You,” he decided, and Ruachiel began climbing into the tub. Seraphiel followed once the Malakite had settled himself down, nestling himself between Ruachiel’s legs, resting his chest against Ruachiel’s abdomen and his head against Ruachiel’s chest. Their wings hung over the edges of the tub, but that was fine; those hadn’t become too messy.

“You’re sweeter than you think, you know that?” Ruachiel asked, stroking his face with a wet hand. Seraphiel blinked up at him.

“I am not ‘sweet,’” he said, baffled.

Ruachiel scritched at one of Seraphiel’s horns. “Not sweet, no, lovely, but much sweeter than you think. Resonate me if you like!”

Seraphiel did. And it was True. He was not as cold as he had always thought he was. Ruachiel was right. Flustered, he buried his head in Ruachiel’s neck to avoid looking at him, and the Malakite gently tugged him back by the horns.

“It’s fine to be nicer than you thought you were, pretty. I like you just as well this way,” he promised, and kissed him lightly. Seraphiel flickered his tongue out, just as pleased to avoid saying anything more about it, and coaxed Ruachiel into a deeper kiss.

They became clean in the end, but not without dirtying the tub first and spilling water all over the floor. As they cleaned up the mess together, Seraphiel said, uncharacteristically hesitant, “I know better than to try to keep a Servitor of the Wind, but I would like to see you again. Frequently, if possible.”

“I had a wonderful time seeing you, and I would love to make this an official thing,” Ruachiel told him, and Seraphiel relaxed.

“I would enjoy that, too,” he said.

Chapter 2: Telling the Archangels

Summary:

Telling the Archangels about the new relationship. (Very short.)

Breaking the news to their Archangels was rather a mixed bag.

“So,” Janus said, over a pile of dead demons. “The Inquisition, huh?”

“The Inquisition, yup,” Ruachiel said placidly.

“You might be my weirdest Malakite,” the Archangel of the Wind told him, not without affection.

“I’d like to meet the competition,” Ruachiel responded.

“Attaboy. Have fun.”

Dominic was somewhat more complicated, mostly because he learned about it by meeting Ruachiel when he was half-naked and pinned underneath the Angel of the Inquisition.

Both Ruachiel and Seraphiel froze as Dominic entered the room without announcement.

“Most Just,” Seraphiel said, not moving from his position.

“Seraphiel,” the Most Just said, neutrally.

“I have already filed the appropriate documentation for Ruachiel to be considered my significant other,” the Inquisition told his Archangel. Ruachiel, who hadn’t known that Judgment required actual paperwork on the subject, was charmed.

“Good,” said the Most Just. “The relationship is not interfering with your work?”

“No, Most Just,” said Seraphiel. Lounging beneath him, Ruachiel watched with interest as the two Judges navigated a regular visit with no more reference to him whatsoever. Presumably Dominic had resonated him with every resonance known to angelkind, but Ruachiel had nothing to hide and no desire to try.

“So,” he said afterward, “If he doesn’t say anything about me, I assume it’s OK?”

“You assume correctly,” Seraphiel said, touching noses with him. “I apologize for the interruption.”

“It's fine. I'm just glad he showed up while I still had pants on.”

“I cannot promise that will always be the case,” Seraphiel warned him.

“Eh, what’s life without a few risks?” Ruachiel said cheerfully.

And that was that.

Chapter 3: How Seraphiel Acquired Furniture

Summary:

Seraphiel acquires some more furniture in his rooms, and puts it to good use.

The bed was not a complication at all. Ruachiel came by Seraphiel’s office in a mover’s uniform to tell the Seraph that his new bed had been delivered. Seraphiel’s assistant was a canine Cherub named Jazeridan, who first offered to take a message. “No, see, I want to tell him in person because I want to flirt with him,” he ended up telling Jazeridan outright. “There’s a reason the shirt is too tight and the top buttons are undone.”

The Cherub didn’t even blink. “You won’t discomfort him that way. We’ve heard worse.”

“I’m not trying to discomfort him,” Ruachiel explained patiently. “We’re seeing each other. I want to flirt because I’m hoping he’ll flirt back. If I’m very lucky, he’ll even take a break from work.”

Now the Cherub blinked. “My apologies. I hadn’t known Seraphiel was seeing anyone.”

“It’s pretty new,” Ruachiel said.

“Congratulations,” Jazeridan said, more warmly than before, and - joy of joys - buzzed into Seraphiel’s office to let him know a mover was here to see him. Ruachiel resolved to do something extra nice for the Cherub, because he didn’t even tell Seraphiel who it was and ruin the surprise.

The Seraph came out of his office, looking very buttoned-up and professional. Ruachiel wanted to ruffle him immediately, but settled for smiling at him. Seraphiel looked startled for a moment, then smiled back.

“Your bed has been delivered to your room, sir,” Ruachiel said, bowing.

Seraphiel gave him a delightfully suspicious look. “It is paid for?”

“An honest purchase,” Ruachiel said truthfully. The Trader had been puzzled, but pleased.

“And the uniform?”

“Maybe not so paid for.” That Trader had been quite indignant.

“It doesn’t fit you,” Seraphiel said thoughtfully. “You should take it off and return it to its owner.”

Ruachiel grinned. “Right here?” He undid a button, just to show willing.

“Certainly not. I will supervise. Jazeridan, I will be taking my break early today.”

The Cherub’s expression was totally neutral. “Absolutely, sir. I’ll set you down for an hour and a half.”

“Thank you,” Seraphiel said, but his eyes hadn’t left Ruachiel. It was very flattering and Ruachiel didn’t resist the urge to flex a little.

They left the office at a brisk clip. Ruachiel probably could have figured out how to get to Seraphiel’s rooms from his office by himself, but didn’t get the chance to navigate; Seraphiel swept along as though he owned the entire Tribunal, and Ruachiel was right beside him. They did get a few looks as they made their way down the halls of the residential wings, but Seraphiel seemed totally unbothered and Ruachiel couldn’t care less.

“How much Essence was the bed?” Seraphiel asked as they neared his doorway.

“Five, but don’t worry about the cost, pretty. I had it to spare,” Ruachiel told him.

Seraphiel huffed in mild irritation. “I cannot buy you anything meaningful in return, because you are Wind and do not keep possessions very long.”

“Hey, my knees benefit from the bed,” Ruachiel pointed out. “I also like snacks, if you feel the need to buy things for me!”

“I enjoy tasting the food from your mouth,” Seraphiel told him. “So that benefits me as well.”

“Hmm. I guess we’re stuck doing nice things for ourselves, then,” Ruachiel said, and turned to kiss him in the hallway. Seraphiel tipped his head down to accept the kiss, closing his eyes briefly in a slow, catlike blink.

“Perhaps we are,” he said, and opened the door to his rooms. They had been rearranged to make room for a large classic four-poster bed, complete with blankets and pillows.

“All of this for five Essence?” Seraphiel asked.

“Clearance!” Ruachiel promised. The bed itself really had been, too, though he'd had to visit a couple of different stores to get everything. It had been fun to thwart the Traders’ expectation that a Windie wouldn’t pay for things.

Seraphiel leaned down to kiss him again, narrow tongue flicking over Ruachiel’s lips like - well, there was no real comparison. Seraphim kisses were unique. Ruachiel slid his arms around Seraphiel’s neck and held him close for a moment until the Seraph gently pulled away, amusement lighting his dark eyes.

“I believe,” Seraphiel said seriously, “that I said I would supervise the removal of your ill-gotten clothing.”

Nice. Ruachiel decided he loved it when he could get Seraphiel to play a little. He needed more play in his life. “You did,” he agreed, and struck a pose. Seraphiel watched him with hooded eyes.

“Take off the shirt,” Seraphiel instructed.

Ruachiel slowly untucked it from his pants, turning to show off his muscles to their best advantage. He took his time, too, pretending to have trouble with getting it over his arms and wings. Seraphiel didn’t call him on it. Neither did he offer to help.

Excellent. Ruachiel tossed the shirt to one side and waited, grinning.

“Shoes and socks,” the Seraph told him, but his eyes were going up and down Ruachiel’s torso. Ruachiel held out his arms for balance and toed them off, kicking them away without bending down at all. Seraphiel nodded in approval.

“Now the pants,” Seraphiel said, and added, “Slowly.”

Ruachiel ran his hand up and down the zipper without unzipping it, stroking the growing bulge in his pants more than doing anything useful. Eventually he unbuttoned the top button, wriggling in pretend difficulty. Seraphiel watched him intently, saying nothing. Slowly, Ruachiel unzipped himself, hooking his thumbs in his waistband and tugging it down just an inch or so.

“Good,” Seraphiel told him, eyes fixed on his hands. “Very good.”

Unhurriedly, Ruachiel wriggled his way out of the pants, making sure to give Seraphiel something interesting to look at as he did. His boxers almost came with the pants, but hung on just above the bulge of his cock.

“I trust the boxers are yours?” the Seraph remarked, voice gone low and husky.

“They’re mine,” Ruachiel said, unable to think of something sufficiently witty to say under the force of Seraphiel’s gaze.

“Excellent,” Seraphiel purred. “They need to come off.”

They were blue silk from the Bazaar, and they fell to the floor easily. Ruachiel stepped out of them and stood there naked but for his Oath chains, running his hands up his sides as sensuously as he could, more than willing to tease them both.

Seraphiel sighed deeply. “You look wonderful,” he said frankly, in a somewhat more normal tone, and Ruachiel preened.

“You can keep it going, sweetheart, this is mind-numbingly hot,” Ruachiel told him. He didn’t mind being bossed around every so often for a good cause, and this was a great one.

The Seraph blinked each set of eyes at him, definitely reading some good Truths from Ruachiel’s words. Seraphim were lovely like that. Imply the right thing, and they got a whole spiel of dirty talk.

“If you insist,” Seraphiel said. “Then you should get on the bed. On your hands and knees.”

Oh hell yes. Ruachiel sauntered to the bed, fanning his wings out behind him, and climbed on, hands and knees pressing into the mattress. The coverlet was quilted, black and light blue, and he stared at it hopefully.

The bed dipped as Seraphiel slid onto it behind him. “You look,” he said hoarsely, “like I could do anything to you.”

“You basically can!” Ruachiel promised, and meant it. He was extremely flexible when it came to preferences, and he trusted Seraphiel not to go too far with him.

There was a long pause, and then a tail trailed up the back of Ruachiel’s thigh, and he twitched reflexively. “May I give to you this time?” Seraphiel asked.

“I like receiving just as well,” Ruachiel said, because he did, and found his toes curling as that wicked tail slid up his thigh and over his flank. He arched his back as the tail slid further up, tugging lightly at his Oath chains before venturing out over his wings. A coil slid along with it, stroking over his back, and he found himself supporting more and more of Seraphiel’s weight as the Seraph eased his way on top of him. Not really being able to see what was happening behind him made things more exciting, Ruachiel thought - something to keep in mind for later.

Seraphiel flicked his tongue over the back of Ruachiel’s neck, and then closed his mouth over his hair, pulling his head back gently but inexorably. Ruachiel didn't resist, and didn't put his head back down when Seraphiel let him go.

The Seraph must have bent himself double, because his tailtip came stroking over Ruachiel's shoulders and neck, before presenting itself in front of his face.

“Suck,” Seraphiel instructed, and Ruachiel took the tip of Seraphiel’s tail into his mouth, licking and sucking on it, teasing like it was the Seraph's cock. Seraphiel hummed in approval, mantling his wings over Ruachiel like a bird of prey over his catch. His weight on Ruachiel’s back was warm and exciting, coils shifting restlessly over him.

Eventually Seraphiel took his tail out of Ruachiel’s mouth with a wet noise. Ruachiel chased it with his mouth, and Seraphiel made a reprimanding sound at him. “Patience,” the Seraph told him.

“I’m not so good at that, you know,” Ruachiel remarked, glancing over his shoulder at Seraphiel. Seraphiel tsked at him and kissed his ear, tongue flickering over it. Ruachiel shivered; that was a sensitive spot for him.

“You will manage,” Seraphiel said ominously, and slid his tailtip between Ruachiel’s buttocks. That too-clever Seraph, though, also made a loop of himself, wrapping his tail around Ruachiel’s cock and balls, holding him firmly.

Ruachiel couldn’t help but work his hips back and forth a little as Seraphiel’s tailtip pushed its way inside him. It was no issue, even with the limited lubrication from his spit, both because this was Heaven and bodies were mutable, and also because Seraphiel’s tailtip was perfectly slender. It felt good, but it was definitely a tease; the coils around him moved with him, providing a firm hold but not letting him have anything other than what Seraphiel gave him.

“Good?” Seraphiel asked, smug.

“You are such a tease,” Ruachiel complained with a smile. Seraphiel made a little noise of agreement, but Ruachiel didn’t hear it because the tailtip inside him moved. It felt like it tied itself over into a knot, but that was impossible, there wasn’t enough room inside Ruachiel to do that. Seraphiel fucked him with his tail, progressing deeper with each movement, until Ruachiel was squirming on the bed, trying to get some friction on his aching cock, all to no avail.

“I think you may be ready for me,” Seraphiel told him, and dragged his tail out of Ruachiel, perilously slow, tugging him further open. He moved, coils flexing, and Ruachiel groaned as they glided over his trapped cock.

He couldn’t tell exactly how Seraphiel was rearranging himself on top of him until the Seraph wrapped his tail around Ruachiel’s elbow and tugged at it, gently forcing Ruachiel to go to knees and elbows, instead of hands and knees. Ruachiel didn’t resist, especially as Seraphiel flowed backwards and upside down beneath and over him, presenting his belly scales and the almost-invisible slit in them.

“Persuade me to show my cocks, and you may have one,” Seraphiel told him.

“I can be very persuasive,” Ruachiel promised, and set to work, licking over Seraphiel’s belly scales until he got to the little slit in them. It was wet, tangy with Seraphiel’s fluids, and Ruachiel carefully insinuated his tongue inside, feeling the bulges of each cockhead. He licked those, too, and felt them twitch under his tongue.

Resting on his elbows like he was, Ruachiel couldn’t press down on the belly scales beneath Seraphiel’s slit with his fingers and force his cocks out directly, but he pulled his tongue out and pressed that to the right place instead, suggestively thrusting his tongue against the spot he wanted.

Seraphiel made a noise above him, and the grip he had on Ruachiel’s cock tightened perceptibly. That was very rewarding, so Ruachiel flattened his tongue out and did it again, pushing as hard as he could at that magic spot. Then he teased his tongue back inside Seraphiel’s slit, wriggling it back and forth over the heads of his cocks.

He alternated between the two approaches as Seraphiel began to stroke Ruachiel’s own cock with his coils, and finally Seraphiel relinquished some of his control and let his cocks emerge from their slit, shining wet and absolutely everything Ruachiel wanted inside him. Ruachiel drew his tongue up over the ridges of one, feeling it jerk, and swallowed down the other in one swift movement.

Seraphiel yelped, gratifyingly loud, and Ruachiel slid his tongue up along the seam underneath the Seraph’s cock, tasting his fluids. Then he released him with a wet, noisy pop of a sound. Seraphiel’s indrawn breath was loud after that, and he shifted again, dragging his cocks down Ruachiel’s chest and abdomen, leaving a wet trail behind him. He was wrapped almost all the way around Ruachiel now, above and below him.

Ruachiel spread his legs apart helpfully, and Seraphiel rubbed his cocks between Ruachiel’s thighs, before pressing the head of one of them to Ruachiel’s opening. Ruachiel took the quilt in his hands and braced himself, looking over his shoulder. Seraphiel was tangled all around his legs and back, half-sprawled over him, looking absolutely delectable.

The Seraph smiled at him and said, “Persuade me.”

“Oh hell yeah,” Ruachiel said, and took a breath to think. “I want your cock inside me,” he began. “I want you to fuck me as hard as you want, until I can’t think straight. I love how it feels, ass up and helpless to stop you from doing whatever you please. Fuck me, sweetheart, drive your Forces up into me and make me take them all.”

Seraphiel squeezed him convulsively, pushing his cock inside in one long, smooth motion. The ridges on Seraphiel’s cock caught on the rim of Ruachiel’s opening, making him shudder and clench, all to no avail, because Seraphiel did not stop or even slow down. Ruachiel felt himself yield, his very Forces shifting to make room for the Seraph inside him, and groaned.

“You feel so damn good, Seraphiel,” he panted, rocking his hips back and forth, trying to ease the pressure inside him. Seraphiel drew out halfway, and pushed back in. No matter how Ruachiel moved, there was nothing that stopped or even changed Seraphiel’s pace.

“Don’t come on my new quilt,” Seraphiel told him, and began to fuck him, rocking into him mercilessly and moving his coils over Ruachiel’s trapped cock.

“Not making that easy, beautiful!” Ruachiel gasped, as Seraphiel tightened his grip on Ruachiel’s cock, moving back and forth around him. They were already starting to blur together, Forces beginning to meld, and Ruachiel knew he wouldn’t last long at this rate.

“How… unfortunate,” the Seraph managed, though not without effort, and shifted again, looping some part of himself around Ruachiel’s hips. Ruachiel actually squeaked, a tremendously undignified noise, as a forked tongue touched the tip of his cock. He looked down his torso, where Seraphiel had managed to put his head right underneath Ruachiel, mouth open.

“Come in my mouth,” Seraphiel instructed, and Ruachiel very nearly did, right then and there.

“Shit shit shit,” he cursed, working his hips in a vain attempt to get more contact as Seraphiel drove into him. “Seraphiel, please!”

The Seraph hummed noncommittally, licking at the head of Ruachiel’s cock in counterpoint to the rhythm of the cock driving inside him. Ruachiel squirmed, and Seraphiel began to squeeze his entire body, and he felt him pick up the pace, thrusting faster and faster, and questioning and truth and judgment began to meet wind and honor and they fell together, as naturally as breathing.

Ruachiel found himself collapsed face-first on the mattress, pressing Seraphiel’s head into the bed with his hips, and rolled himself to the side, bonelessly, to free the Seraph. Seraphiel swallowed, mouth full of come, and oozed up between Ruachiel’s legs so that they were face to face, both breathing hard.

“You know,” Ruachiel said conversationally, “This is not really deterring me from stealing more clothes.”

“Hm. Something to work on,” Seraphiel said. “We may have to try again.”

“Not exactly a hardship, beautiful. Not exactly a hardship.”

Chapter 4: Vacations and Vessel Sex

Summary:

Seraphiel and Ruachiel go on a vacation and have Vessel sex for the first time together.

Ruachiel ascended into Heaven after a successful foray against some demons of Greed, and, after a few quick hellos to friends, made a beeline for the Tribunal. Weird but true: he was learning to navigate the place remarkably swiftly. He resisted the urge to swipe random things from desks he passed, but he did replace Jazeridan’s stapler with a better one from the Bazaar as he came to Seraphiel’s office and the Seraph came out to greet him.

Ruachiel could tell his lover was excited. After a hello kiss, he asked, “What’s going on, sweetheart?”

“I have had my leave request approved,” the Seraph told him, looking very pleased with himself.

“Leave request?”

Seraphiel eyed him. “I cannot just leave work unannounced, you know. However. I will be off next week for five consecutive days, cleared to go anywhere on Earth or in Heaven.”

“Holy shit,” Ruachiel breathed. Five whole days to spoil his lover, anywhere on Earth or Heaven? Damn!

“I can occupy myself if you have Word-specific responsibilities -” Seraphiel began, almost shyly, but Ruachiel cut him off with a kiss.

“We don’t really do much of that in the Wind,” he said, and it was true. There were a few things that the Wind kept to itself, of course - every Word had secrets - but nothing Ruachiel was currently up to. “Let’s go to Italy,” he said after a pause. “I know some people there who could use help finding demonic outposts. We could give them a hard time, try out Vessel sex, and come back in plenty of time for you to be back at work.”

“I shall leave the itinerary in your capable hands,” Seraphiel said.

The following week held several adventures. Two soul-dead Nightmares Servitors, three Factions demons in Trauma, a stolen car, a report to the nearest Heavenly Tether about what Seraphiel had interrogated out of the demons before they killed them, and three towns away from the scene of their fights, Ruachiel suggested they take a rest.

“We’ll attract attention by driving around at night,” he said, and that was true. “Also, I want to try Vessel sex with you and I’d like a bed for that.”

“Are you such a hedonist, then?” Seraphiel asked, amused.

“When it comes to sex with you, absolutely I am,” Ruachiel said with pride, and Seraphiel huffed a laugh.

“Very well, then,” Seraphiel said, and they pulled over to find a hotel.

The hotel staff didn’t give them so much as a glance, despite their mismatched appearance - Ruachiel in jeans and a leather jacket, Seraphiel in Judgment-standard business casual - but then, it was late and they had doubtless seen stranger.

Once they got to their room, Ruachiel threw his bag onto the bench, and turned to find Seraphiel right behind him, putting a hand on Ruachiel’s arm and leaning in for a kiss. It wasn’t difficult to oblige him. It was, however, rather endearing how awkward the kiss was. Seraphiel clearly kept thinking his tongue should be more dexterous than it actually was.

“Sweetheart,” Ruachiel said after they broke apart, “have you had Vessel sex before?”

“I haven’t,” Seraphiel told him.

“Should be fun, then! You can’t get as close as you can with Celestial sex, but it has its own charms.” Ruachiel was unbothered. He knew enough to make sure it was an enjoyable experience for them both.

“Hands are quite convenient,” Seraphiel said blandly, and stroked Ruachiel’s hair with one as if in demonstration.

“They are!” Ruachiel agreed, and tugged Seraphiel closer by the hips. They kissed leisurely for a while before Seraphiel went off course, kissing and gently biting at Ruachiel’s jawline and ear. Ruachiel hissed a little - the wicked Seraph remembered his ears were sensitive - and began unbuttoning Seraphiel’s shirt in retaliation. Seraphiel shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it carefully over the chair. He was so particular; it was adorable. Ruachiel's leather jacket went on the floor, and his shirt joined it in short order.

The half-unbuttoned Seraph made a reproving noise, and bent down to retrieve Ruachiel’s clothes from the floor. It took an act of true willpower for Ruachiel to resist taking him by the hips, but he managed somehow. “Fussy,” he said instead, amused.

“I don't want them to wrinkle,” Seraphiel told him fastidiously. He made up for it by stripping the rest of the way out of his clothes, and actually folded his pants, laying them on the desk. Ruachiel gave in, stripped out of his own clothes, and handed them over to their fate. They had probably never been folded before in their lives, and never would be again.

Ruachiel took the time to enjoy Seraphiel's naked Vessel. He was long and lean and sleek, something still very Seraphiel-like in the set of his eyes. “Female Vessel?” Ruachiel asked idly.

“I don't care for external genitals,” Seraphiel told him, grimacing a bit at the apparent thought. “The Most Just indulges my preference.”

“They can be very useful,” Ruachiel pointed out, stepping back into Seraphiel’s personal space. He rather liked his own.

“Truth,” the Seraph conceded, putting his arms around Ruachiel's bare waist. “That does not mean I want them myself. I will simply enjoy the use of yours.”

“Happy to oblige,” Ruachiel told him, and leaned up to bite Seraphiel’s throat gently. The Seraph hummed in approval, tipping his head to the side, and Ruachiel took the opportunity to tug him back toward the bed. Seraphiel didn't resist, and Ruachiel laid an encouraging kiss on his collarbone, sitting down on the bed with Seraphiel standing between his legs.

“Marks okay?” Ruachiel asked conscientiously, and Seraphiel blinked open his eyes.

“Marks,” he said blankly.

“Love bites, hickies, scratches,” Ruachiel listed for him.

Seraphiel shivered - he must have gotten Truths about what exactly Ruachiel wanted to do, given permission. “I. Yes,” he decided. “May I… Is it allowed?”

“I’d love it if you did,” Ruachiel said honestly.

Seraphiel didn’t ask if he was sure, but if he hadn’t been a Seraph, he might have. “I don’t know if I can,” he said frankly.

“Don’t, then, if you aren’t feeling it, sweetheart,” Ruachiel soothed. “Just be aware that I wouldn’t mind if you did.”

“I want it too much,” Seraphiel told him. “To… mark you.”

“I can do rough,” Ruachiel said. “I like it that way sometimes! We’ll see how it goes, all right?”

Seraphiel nodded, a little shaky, and Ruachiel tugged him down for a simple, sweet kiss. That kiss turned heated quickly, Seraphiel’s hands coming to Ruachiel’s hair and holding him in place. Ruachiel put his own hands on Seraphiel’s narrow hips. The Seraph kept a hold of Ruachiel’s head, but broke their kiss, pulling Ruachiel’s mouth down to his throat again. This time Ruachiel bit him harder, sucking to leave a mark, and Seraphiel moaned above him.

“Good?” Ruachiel murmured against the Seraph’s neck.

“Yes,” Seraphiel hissed. “Keep… Keep going.”

Ruachiel attacked Seraphiel’s collarbone next, nipping at him and laving the mark with his tongue, before licking down to the Seraph’s chest. Seraphiel yelped as Ruachiel’s teeth closed around a nipple, hands tightening in Ruachiel’s hair to hold him exactly where he was. Ruachiel slid one hand up from Seraphiel’s hip to his other nipple, pinching at it, and Seraphiel squirmed. Ruachiel, feeling a little like mischief, blew a cool stream of air over the nipple he’d attacked with his mouth, and Seraphiel made an indescribable noise. Seraphiel’s Vessel was sensitive there, apparently: good to know.

Ruachiel played with Seraphiel’s nipples for a little longer, until the Seraph’s breathing was audible and his nipples were red and puffy, standing out from his chest. Then and only then did Ruachiel pull away, scooting himself further onto the bed. “Come join me?” he invited, and Seraphiel climbed onto the bed after him.

The Seraph, a little wild-eyed, immediately attacked Ruachiel’s neck in return, putting his hands on Ruachiel’s shoulders and pinning him to the bed. Ruachiel allowed this in the interests of seeing where Seraphiel wanted to go with it, lying on his back with one knee pulled up. Seraphiel nipped at his throat, then began sucking marks down Ruachiel’s chest. Ruachiel lay back and took it as Seraphiel rubbed his face against Ruachiel’s chest, as if he were still in Seraph form, and grazed his teeth over Ruachiel’s nipples. He didn’t stay there long, though, making his way straight down Ruachiel’s abdomen to his cock.

“No teeth there, sweetheart,” Ruachiel managed to warn him, and then Seraphiel took the head of his cock in his mouth and sucked on it and Ruachiel completely forgot what else he was going to say. Seraphiel’s hands went to Ruachiel’s hips, holding him in place, as he licked up the sides of Ruachiel’s cock, breathed on it, exploring with lips and tongue until Ruachiel was pushing up with his hips, just a bit, against Seraphiel’s firm hold.

“You’re such a tease, Seraphiel. Suck me?” he pleaded.

Seraphiel smiled up at him, perfectly smug, and completely ignored him, dipping below his cock to mouth and lick at his balls. Ruachiel threw an arm over his face and groaned. Only when Seraphiel was apparently satisfied did he move back and have mercy on Ruachiel, taking his cock into his mouth and sucking as much of it as he could. His rhythm was inexpert, but the Seraph’s enthusiasm more than made up for it.

Reluctantly, Ruachiel reached down and pulled the Seraph off of his cock. “You almost made me come, beautiful,” he panted.

“Yes, that was in fact my goal,” Seraphiel pointed out, mouth red and wet.

“I have a refractory period in this Vessel, sweet,” Ruachiel told him.

Seraphiel very obviously resonated, eyes narrowing. “That is inefficient. I don’t like it.”

“Yes, well, that’s Vessel sex for you. Here, I think it’s your turn.” Ruachiel wriggled backward and managed to sit up. “Lie down for me? You don’t have a refractory period, so you can come as often as you like.”

“We shall see,” Seraphiel said imperiously, but allowed Ruachiel to arrange him on the bed, lying down. Ruachiel put himself between the Seraph’s thighs, and swiped his tongue through Seraphiel's folds.

The Seraph just about came off the bed entirely. Delightful. Ruachiel pinned him down by the hips and did it again, more thoroughly. Seraphiel hooked his legs around Ruachiel’s shoulders and whined, hands fisting in the covers.

Ruachiel knew how to take a hint. He licked, he sucked, he thrust his tongue into Seraphiel’s wetness and fucked him with it. He even took one hand from Seraphiel’s hip and pushed a finger inside him. Seraphiel was hot and tight and wet around his finger, and Ruachiel pressed his tongue against Seraphiel’s clit and encouraged him to ride Ruachiel’s mouth.

“Put… Put more into me,” Seraphiel instructed, and Ruachiel pressed another two fingers inside him. “It’s good, Ruachiel, it’s so good,” the Seraph told him, and Ruachiel kept fucking him with his fingers and licking at his clit until Seraphiel threw back his head and cried out, throbbing around Ruachiel’s fingers and under his tongue.

Ruachiel let him come down at his own pace, breathing heavily, until Seraphiel reached down with one hand, catching Ruachiel by the hair and tugging him upward.

“That was… refreshing, but I want to come with you,” Seraphiel told him.

“We’ll see what we can do,” Ruachiel promised, letting himself be pulled up over Seraphiel. “It’s harder to arrange in Vessels, but we can do our best.”

“Good,” Seraphiel responded, and leaned up to kiss him, his hands moving to Ruachiel’s shoulders and his legs hooking around Ruachiel’s waist. Ruachiel kissed back, nudging his hips between Seraphiel’s thighs and rubbing the head of his cock against Seraphiel’s opening. He pushed in, slowly, feeling Seraphiel’s body welcome him inside with wet heat.

Seraphiel sighed with pleasure, rocking his hips up to meet Ruachiel, and they fell into a rhythm easily. They couldn’t really maintain the kiss and move at the same time, so Ruachiel dropped little kisses on Seraphiel’s face and neck instead, and Seraphiel clung to his shoulders, pulling him close.

Ruachiel slid a hand between their bodies, using the other to prop himself up, and rubbed at Seraphiel’s clit. Seraphiel jolted beneath him, legs tightening and nails digging into his shoulders, but Ruachiel was relentless in touching and squeezing the slick little nub under his fingers. The rhythm of his thrusting suffered a little, but Seraphiel clawed at his shoulders and that more than made up for it.

Ruachiel grinned, speeding up his pace, and Seraphiel lunged up and sank his teeth into his shoulder, seizing up around Ruachiel’s cock and throbbing under his fingers. “Oh shit,” Ruachiel blurted, the flash of bright pain combined with the tight, rhythmic squeezes bringing him right to the edge. Once, twice, three more thrusts and he was coming, too.

Seraphiel’s eyes were closed, and he was panting as he came down from it, still pulsing around Ruachiel’s softening cock. Ruachiel rolled his hips just to draw out aftershocks, before slowly pulling out and letting himself half-collapse on top of the Seraph.

“Damn, sweetheart,” he said dreamily. “That was something.”

“Mm.” Seraphiel opened his eyes, blinked twice, and then stiffened as he saw the raw scratches and bite mark on Ruachiel’s shoulders. “I hurt you!” He sounded almost panicstricken, the afterglow gone as if it had never existed as he tried to sit up.

“Easy, easy,” Ruachiel said, pulling Seraphiel back down. “You’re fine. I’m fine. I liked it, sweetheart, resonate me: I liked it.”

Seraphiel touched the marks he’d made, well on the way to horrified. A few of the scratches had drawn drops of blood that smeared on his fingertips. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to,” he said helplessly.

“It’s fine, it happens, it was good,” Ruachiel soothed. “I’m not actually hurt. It made me come, lovely. You did fine. I’ve told you, I like it rough sometimes.”

“But I didn’t mean to,” Seraphiel repeated.

“You got excited, beautiful. It happens with Corporeal sex. It’s fine.”

The Seraph clung to him, arms wrapped around his waist. “You aren’t…”

“I’m not upset. I’m not hurt. I liked it,” Ruachiel said again, stroking Seraphiel’s hair. “Seraphiel, I’m fine. You didn’t do anything wrong. Resonate me: you didn’t do anything wrong. A few marks are fine. We talked about it, remember?”

Slowly, Seraphiel relaxed against him as Ruachiel kept murmuring reassurances and petting his hair. As a Seraph, he shouldn’t need it said more than once; there was definitely something going on deep in Seraphiel’s psyche. This wasn’t healthy. Ruachiel frowned above Seraphiel’s head and began to plot.

Chapter 5: An Important Discussion

Summary:

Ruachiel discusses his plan, both with Ellora and with Seraphiel. With some inspiration, they work out the details.

The first thing Ruachiel resolved to do about this situation was research. Sure, he could go straight into enacting his plan, but this was the equivalent of a serious heist and that did mean planning. He did not want to fuck it up.

So he hunted down Ellora of the Wind in a seedy bar in Ontario, where she was helping a Senescal harass a demonic Tether that was getting uppity. Ruachiel himself, a Master of Motion, was overkill for that, but who cared? Dead demons were dead demons. He’d still help out once he was done talking to Ellora.

“Hey, so, I have a Judge question,” he said, sliding into the booth where she sat alone with her drink. “You’ve known him longer than I have, so I want your perspective.”

She smiled a tiny, smug Elohite smile at him. She deserved her smugness, since she’d been the one to set them up on the date in the first place. “Seraphiel? I heard it’s going well. You two made a few waves in Italy.”

“Hell yeah we did, he took a five-day vacation for me, it was great. But!” He held up a finger. “We were having some excellent Vessel sex, and in the process he gave me a few scratches. Freaked the fuck out afterward. Really disproportionate response. I was hoping you’d know what gives.”

She replaced her smile with a thoughtful frown. “He lost control, I imagine. Stems from the Word, I would almost guarantee it.”

“What about the Word?”

“He’s low-key terrified it’ll make him go too far. Outside the realm of justice, you know? He’s very self-controlled. To the point of excess, in my opinion.”

Ruachiel sat back and thought. “So he freaked because he lost control of himself - and thus the Word - and hurt me? Even if it was just scratches, no harm done.”

“Exactly.”

“Huh. That’s not healthy.”

“No,” she agreed. “I’ve talked with him about it, but he’s a stubborn snake.”

Ruachiel laughed a little. “That’s the truth! I like it normally, but not about this.”

“No, not about this,” she agreed.

“I was thinking about what I could do about the whole thing,” Ruachiel said. “Because this needs to change, yeah? He’s built it up into this whole big thing. I was thinking, it doesn’t have to be, right?”

“Right,” Ellora said.

So he told her his - very simple - plan, and she assessed it. “I don’t know if he’ll actually go for it, but you can try,” was her verdict. So, Elohite approval acquired, they went off to go cause some mayhem for Hell.

Once he was back in Heaven and thus in a position to begin enacting his plan, Ruachiel chose his moment with care. Seraphiel was off work, and they were pleasantly worn out from another lovely bout of sex, cuddling on Seraphiel’s bed. (The Seraph had stocked spare clothing in Ruachiel’s size in a cedar box at the foot of the bed; it was adorable.)

“Sweetheart,” Ruachiel began. “Can we talk about something difficult?”

Seraphiel’s body stiffened underneath Ruachiel’s, but what he said was, “Yes, of course.”

Ruachiel stroked the Seraph’s chest, trying to get him to relax, to no avail. “It’s about how you freaked out about scratching me.”

“I’m sorry for that,” Seraphiel said immediately.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, beautiful,” Ruachiel said again, in the highest tone of Truth that he was capable of. “I’m worried about how much you were upset by what happened. You’re still upset about it even now, when you barely drew blood. What’s going on in your mind, lovely?”

Seraphiel tucked his head under Ruachiel’s chin, closing his eyes. Ruachiel let him hide, stroking the back of his head and neck. “I… didn’t want to like it as much as I did. I don’t want to like it.”

“Why not, sweet? You didn’t do anything wrong, or even anything I didn’t like.”

Seraphiel thought for long moments, then, with that painful Seraphic honesty, told him, “I’m afraid of wanting to - to inflict pain. Sometimes even in - intimate situations. Sometimes especially then.”

Ruachiel made his voice very gentle. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“Yes, of course there is!” Seraphiel’s tail wound around Ruachiel’s calf, tightly. “I should not want to hurt you, ever!”

“Even if I like to be hurt sometimes? In an intimate situation?”

Seraphiel pulled back to stare at him. “Even then.”

“Is it wrong for everyone, or just for you?” Ruachiel asked carefully; that would determine his next course of action. He really did not want to have to talk to the Archangel of Judgment about this, but he’d do it if he had to.

Seraphiel’s coils rippled all the way down. “It’s fine for others; we don’t police consensual sex.”

“What makes you different, then, sweet? That doesn’t sound fair to me,” Ruachiel pointed out, still gentle.

“The Word. It would take me too far,” Seraphiel said miserably, and hid his face again. “I love my Word, but it is… too harsh now. I make reports to the Most Just about corruption. Cruelty. I make excuses to go to the Volcano sometimes. To make sure I don’t trigger the Servitors’ attunements there.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Ruachiel sighed, and stroked down his neck and back. “It’s a hard Word to have; I can tell you worry about it a lot.”

“I do,” Seraphiel admitted. “I don’t… want to go too far.”

“What would be ‘too far,’ lovely?” Ruachiel asked delicately.

Seraphiel shivered, shaking his head. “I don’t know. I try not to think about it at all.”

“That doesn’t seem like the healthiest approach, Seraphiel,” Ruachiel said seriously. “I honestly don’t think you will absolutely lose your reason if you indulge in a little bit of pain-play.”

“You think that, but I don’t necessarily agree,” the Seraph argued. “What if I did?”

“What if you did?” Ruachiel shrugged. “I’m a big Malakite. It would be embarrassing as hell to ask for a new Vessel from the boss for that particular reason, but I could do it if we had an accident.”

Seraphiel paled around the eyes. “I don’t…”

“I don’t think you would, either, but that’s the worst-case scenario, isn’t it?” Ruachiel said, with a very deliberate casualness. “That’s assuming you could kill me. Like I said, I’m a big Malakite. I am perfectly capable of fighting back.”

“That’s True,” Seraphiel said slowly.

“That’s not to say that I think you would lose control, or even if that’s what you’d want if you did.” Ruachiel kissed his nose. “You don’t become a totally different person during sex, Seraphiel. Nobody does.”

“That,” said Seraphiel darkly, “is what I am afraid of.”

“I’m not,” Ruachiel told him. “Your honor is impeccable, Seraphiel. You are, in fact, a good person. Maybe it’s despite your Word, but it’s still true.”

Seraphiel sighed. “You believe it,” he said, which was a dodge if Ruachiel had ever heard one. “Also, you are driving at a point; what is it?”

Well, so much for trying to get there carefully. Seraphim. “I’d like to try some pain-play with you,” Ruachiel told him bluntly. “I think you’re so scared of it that you’ve made it into some kind of monster in your head, and made yourself into a monster with it.”

Seraphiel stared at him blankly. “You… want me to hurt you. During sex.”

“Pretty much. I’ve done it before and enjoyed myself, so it wouldn’t exactly be a hardship for me.”

The Seraph twitched; he had definitely gotten some interesting Truths from that confession. There were more than a few incidents that probably qualified as pain-play; Ruachiel was old, and hadn’t denied himself the finer things in life.

“You believe it would be enjoyable for you,” Seraphiel said.

“I do,” Ruachiel told him. “I believe it’d be enjoyable for you, too. I don’t think you would seriously hurt me, or even really want to.”

Seraphiel exhaled, but said nothing.

Ruachiel kissed him again. “You don’t have to decide right now, sweetheart. I know this is a huge thing for you. I’m just making the offer.”

Seraphiel nodded, wordlessly coiling himself around Ruachiel and pulling his wings in around them both to comfort himself. Ruachiel stroked and petted him and let him think. Patience was not one of Ruachiel’s primary virtues, but he could use it from time to time, and Seraphiel needed that time. Ruachiel could wait as long as he needed to for this decision.

“Guidelines,” the Seraph said at last. “Stringent rules as to what is allowed and what is not allowed.”

“You’re such a Judge, sweetheart. Guidelines, absolutely,” Ruachiel agreed easily. “We can even make a Divine Contract if you want one. I know a discreet Trader or two.”

Seraphiel considered this seriously, though Ruachiel had mostly suggested it to lighten the mood. “No,” he said at last.

“All right,” Ruachiel said. “Now. Let’s start with what you would like. We can put guidelines around it once we’ve established what you do want. What do you think you’d enjoy?”

“I don’t know,” Seraphiel said, lost. “I haven’t… I don’t dwell on… on causing pain.”

“Here, how about I tell you about some of the things I’ve done, and we can see if any of those appeal to you?” Ruachiel suggested, and the Seraph nodded in assent. So Ruachiel leaned over onto one side, so that he and Seraphiel were facing each other, and started talking, stroking the Seraph’s side and chest with the hand not propping himself up.

“So, let’s start with me and Hananiah of the Sword,” Ruachiel began. “He’s a Malakite, like me, and we ran into each other on the Corporeal and hit it off. You’d like him, actually, he’s very ethical. Very righteous. He likes to fight as much as a Michaeline, though, and he extends it to sex, too. I offered to wrestle him for who would be the top and who would receive, and he thought that was a fine idea. Damn, but he played for keeps! I’m not bad at unarmed combat, but I’ve had easier sparring sessions in the Groves. Learned a few things, too. I’m slippery, but he’s good. By the time he got me pinned, flat on my face, arms all twisted behind my back, I was glad I’d taken the time to prep beforehand, because he was relentless. He fucked me so hard I saw stars when he finally let me come. Untouched, because he’s a bastard that way. I had bruises for days afterward.”

“You didn’t mind the bruises,” Seraphiel said; it wasn’t a question, but it might have been.

“Not at all,” Ruachiel assured him. “Made me think of him every time I touched one. I jerked off so much that week to memories of that session, it was great.”

Seraphiel blinked at him.

“But you’re not much of a wrestler, no? Maybe you’d like something where you had more control right away. Jeri - Jerioth, that is, of Fire - is like that. Very careful, very deliberate. She has rules, too. It won’t surprise you that she likes to play with fire in a very literal sense, and by that I mean she had me lie on my back and put hot wax on me. She had different colored candles, and she dripped patterns on me while I had to hold still for her. Sexy as hell.”

“The wax… hurt, though?” Seraphiel asked.

“Yeah, it stung a little at first, and stayed warm afterward. Apparently there are special candles you use to make it safer. She's very particular. Rode the hell out of me after she was done with the wax, though. Amazing Mercurian. Loved it.”

He noticed Seraphiel’s breathing start to pick up a little; his eyes looked a bit glazed and he was starting to press himself against Ruachiel’s torso. “Enjoying those Truths?” Ruachiel purred at him.

“Yes,” Seraphiel said hoarsely. “Yes, go on.”

“If you insist! Anyway, you don’t necessarily need tools, but Yadiah of Stone had this, like, recreational cane that he used on me once. Man, it hurt so good. The endorphins were great. He beat me so much I couldn’t even sit down the next day. That part was a little awkward, honestly, but it was worth it,” Ruachiel told him. The caning had technically been an erotic ‘punishment’ for getting caught stealing from Stone, but Ruachiel left that part out. Seraphiel might pick it up from his resonance, but he wasn’t going to mention it outright. Judges were very particular about punishments, and took them incredibly seriously. They didn’t play with that at all.

Seraphiel’s eyes narrowed; he must have picked it up anyway. Too perceptive for his own good. “And you enjoyed this?”

“I absolutely enjoyed it,” Ruachiel said with conviction. “It doesn’t have to be part of a particular scene or roleplay or anything, like with Yadiah. I know that’s not going to be your thing.”

“It’s not,” Seraphiel agreed.

“It can just be for its own sake,” Ruachiel said. “Let me see… Ahh, ‘spanking’ is such an unsexy word to me, but I like the act itself perfectly well. Done that lots of times. Goes well with getting fucked, you know?”

Seraphiel made a little “mm” noise, eyes half-closing.

“They make equipment that would let you fuck me even if you’ve got a female Vessel,” Ruachiel explained further. “Some of them even vibrate, and let me tell you, that is very nice indeed.”

“I might like that,” Seraphiel admitted, but then he sighed. “Tell me about things you didn’t like. I want to know what to avoid. There must be some acts you didn’t prefer.”

“Eh, I tend to put a stop to things pretty early if they don’t mesh well with me. Let me see.” Ruachiel thought. “Machatiel and the needles, yeah, we had to call that one off. Machatiel was so careful about things, with gloves and alcohol wipes and everything, it was kind of a turn-off. That was Celestial form, so I ended up sucking on its fingers instead, which was good enough for both of us. Honestly, I don’t like ‘clinical’ play, so the product testing with the violet wand for Raamiah was also a no-go. Plus, that sensation was just plain weird! Didn’t care for it at all. So he put the wand away and we just had regular sex. Still pretty good sex, though. Oh, and: it’s a hard no on tying me up, but you probably knew that. Wind, you know. Just not a good combination. I even get twitchy about tying other people up.”

This seemed to reassure Seraphiel somehow. “We will avoid those things, then.”

“Excellent, lovely. Do you want to hear more about other fun adventures I’ve had?”

“Yes,” said Seraphiel, and so Ruachiel told him. He talked about sex he’d had with clamps, and whips, and more, until the Seraph was slowly writhing over him, squeezing rhythmically as though he couldn’t help it. Ruachiel kept up a nice, conversational tone, but also let his free hand wander all over his lover’s back and wings, tweaking a feather or so and petting his belly scales.

“You are teasing me on purpose,” Seraphiel accused at last, a touch breathily.

“I absolutely am,” Ruachiel admitted.

The Seraph flicked his tongue in faux irritation. “I trust you are prepared to follow through?”

“You know it,” Ruachiel said cheerfully. “But first, let’s figure out what we want to try, while you’re - inspired. We don’t have to do everything at once, but we can make a list.”

The Seraph exhaled, coils tensing a little. “I… I want to bite you again,” he said, all in a rush.

Ruachiel rewarded this honesty with a kiss. “I like being bitten.”

“I want to make you beg for me,” Seraphiel added, a touch desperately.

Ruachiel kissed Seraphiel’s throat. “Sounds very enjoyable. I’m in favor.”

“Can I scratch you? On purpose?”

“You can,” Ruachiel promised, and laid another kiss further down Seraphiel’s neck.

“I would like to - to strike you. Only where it’s safe to,” Seraphiel tried.

“You really don’t like the word ‘spank’ either, do you, sweet?” Ruachiel asked, trying not to be amused.

“...No, I don’t. But I would… like to try it.”

“We can do that,” Ruachiel said, and placed his next kiss on Seraphiel’s chest, between his wings.

“I, I think you enjoyed having your nipples clamped?” Seraphiel asked.

Ruachiel kissed his belly scales, below his wings. “I did.”

“May I take you, using that equipment you mentioned?”

“Absolutely.” Ruachiel moved his way down and kissed right above Seraphiel’s slit.

“I want to whip you!” Seraphiel almost cried, and Ruachiel pressed his final kiss home, tonguing Seraphiel’s opening, still wet with his own come from earlier. Seraphiel writhed, and Ruachiel pinned him down with both hands, pressing his tongue inside him and licking fervently. He knew that one had cost Seraphiel something, and fully intended to reward him for his effort.

The Seraph’s Forces practically melted around Ruachiel’s tongue, inviting him in, and Ruachiel slid one hand down his own body until he could get a grip on his cock, stroking himself roughly in time with his tongue-fucking. Seraphiel went off under him like a rocket, practically dragging Ruachiel’s Forces into himself as soon as they began to meld together. Questions/judgment/truth begged - no, demanded, and change/honor answered eagerly.

Ruachiel came back to himself with his face pressed against Seraphiel’s belly, panting for breath. “Damn, sweetheart,” he managed. “I think you needed that.”

Seraphiel moved languidly underneath him, draping his tail over Ruachiel’s legs. “You have only yourself to blame.”

“Yeah, I can accept that.”

“It is the Truth,” Seraphiel sniffed, and Ruachiel laughed, breathless with triumph.

Notes:

This poor Seraph actually tested primarily VANILLA on bdsmtest.org and I need you all to know that.